Beam hanger



Oct. 15, 1940. -A. N. PORTER 2,218,343

BEAM HANGER Filed April 6, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l /6 22 6- 20 /7 i 2/ le 7 u 9 I 8 I I i 14 /Z l Ill .h- 1 d0 30 MM 32 28 -3 w H W 34 1' I 45 7' I 40 z; 24 3e I 39 l 32 ll i a 30 3/ 4.4 f 11:;- g

I INVENTOR 43 I 4/ 29 40 All? l- V {I 35 2 36 ATTORNEY Oct. 15 1940. A. N. PORTER BEAM HANGER Filed April 6, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 15, 1940 PA'E'ENT @FHCE BEAM HANGER Albert N. Porter, Tulsa, oklai, assignor to J. F.

Darby, Tulsa,.0kla.

Application April e, 1938, serial No. 200,393

' vs Claims. (01. 74 1ca.)

This invention relates to beamyhangers and more particularly to a device of that character embodying improved bearing connections with beams, rod hangers and like equipment employed for example in oil well drilling and pumping operations, the principal objects of-the present invention being to provide an efficient, convenient and economical beam hanger for such purposes, and to provide for increasing the effective length of straight lift strokes in reciprocating rods suspended from said equipment as an incident to such operations. I

Other objects of the present invention are to provide bearings for such equipment of a character requiring little attention and no lubrication; to so arrange the bearings as to minimize the requirements of each and thus obtain maximum usefulness therefrom; to so seatv the bearings as to prevent jarring, shearing or breaking thereof; 20'- and to effect straight lift of the rods by cooperative action between the walking beam and beam and rod hangers.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved details of 25:. structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in. the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational View of equipped with'a hanger embodying the :es of'my invention and showing'the beam 30-v on its upstroke.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section through the beam hanger on the; line 2-2, Fig. 3, the beam being illustrated on its downstrcke.

' Fig. 3 is an enlarged end view of the beam 5 hanger showing my improved bearing connections etween the beam and beam hanger, parts of the same being shown in vertical section to better illustrate the construction.

Fi i is a detail perspective View showing the beam and beam and rod hangers in disassembled spaced relation.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a walking beam equipped with a modified form of my invention, 1

Fig. 6 is an end View illustrating the modified form of invention, parts of the same being broken away to better illustrate the construction.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

l designates a walking or like beam, which in 50. the present instance, is of I type having a web 2 and upper and lower laterally extending fianges 3 and (i, the outer ends ofthe walking beam being preferably tapered inwardly from top to bottom as indicatedat 5 for a purpose presently 55-; described. e

Mounted on the beam at one of the upper outer ends G'thereof in transverse relation thereto is a bearing plate I, secured as by fastening devices 8 to the flanges 3 of the beam, which is provided with a preferably inverted V-shapeol bearing 9.

The lower flanges 4 at the same end of the beam have mounted thereon in spaced relation to the outer end 6 thereof a downwardly extending bracket if? secured thereto by suitable fastening devices ll.

A beam hanger is mounted on the end 6 of the beam which preferably comprises spaced channel members l2 and i3 having the webs l4 thereof in facing aligned relation and the flanges l5 thereof in oppositely outwardly extending relation. A crosshead 16 connects theupper ends of the channels 12 and i3 and is suitably secured thereto as by angle irons ill or the likeas shown in Fig. 4. The crosshead. I6 is provided withan inverted V-shaped bearing 88, Figs. 1 and 2, adapted to mate with and seat on the bearing 9 cf the beam and permit limited pivotal movement of the beam hanger relative to the beam.

In order to retain the crosshead l6 and'bearing member 9 in interengagement, a substantially inverted U-shaped retaining plate i9 is provided which iscengageable over the rounded upper end 20 of the crosshead It and provided with laterally extending flanges 2 l, suitable fastening devices 22 being extended through such flanges and through the flanges 3 of the walking beam for securing the beam hanger in pivotal relation to the beam.

Laterally adjustably mounted on the webs of the beam hanger is a bracket 23 which is preferably formed of spaced angle irons 24 having slot and bolt connection 25 with the respective channel webs of the beam hanger in alignment with the bearing face 26 of the beam bracket ill. A bracing head member 21 connects the outer ends of the bracket irons 24 in such a manner that as the end 6 of thcbeam is raised in an are on its upstroke, interengagement is had between the brackets I8 and23 to prevent pivoting to the left, as in Fig. l, of the beam hanger on its bearing connection 9-l8 with the beam. Upon movement of the end 6 of the beam on its dcwnstroke, however, the beam hanger. is free topivot to the right on its bearing connection, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

A crosshead 28 is mounted at the lower ends of the beam hanger channels, as by having a fixed seat on angle irons 29, which are in turn fixed to the webs-of the beam hanger channels in oppositely disposed-aligned relation. The crosshead ZS-is provided with a preferablyinverted V-- 31 and 38 of the crosshead 33, as by fastening devices 39, the ends 31 and38 extending through the opening 31 to position the reins exteriorly of.

the channels between the outwardly extending channels thereof. Adjustable stop members 40 are provided on the reins in spaced relation to their connection with the cross head 33 which. are adapted for sliding engagement *with the lower arcuate ends 4! of the beam hanger channels to assure constant engagement of the mated beam and rod hanger crosshead bearings.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the reins have their lower ends suitably mounted in a crosshead 42 which in turn supports a polish or like rod 43 as by a clamp 44 engaged with the polish rod and seating on the lower rod hanger crosshead 42.

The operation of my preferred form of invention constructed as described is as follows:

Upon the upstroke of the beam hanger supporting end 6 of the beam I, the beam hanger is moved in an are dependent upon the length of the end 6 of the beam, the bearings 9 and l I8 between the beam and beam hanger remaining stationary, for the reason that pivotal movement on such an upstroke is tothe left, as shown in Fig. 1, and the further fact that interengagement of the brackets ID on the beam end 23 on the beam hanger prevents such movement to the left. Relative movement is effected, however, between the bearings 30 and 34 interconnecting the beam hanger and rod hanger, as shown in Fig. 1, the rod hanger being moved in substantially a vertical plane for the reason that the lower end of the beam hanger is prevented from pivoting to the left to track in the arc of the walking beam movement and on the contrary follows an are spaced progressively outwardly from the are followed by the end of the beam. A substantially straight lift is therefore imparted to rods suspended by the rod hanger.

On the downstroke of the beam, the beam hanger is free to pivot to the right on the bearings 9 and I 8, as illustrated in Fig. 2. In this instance, however, no motion is imparted to the bearings interconnecting the beam and rod hangers for the reason that the weight of the rods maintains vertical alignment between the rod and beam hangers.

It is thus apparent that'the wear on each of the bearings is substantially half that normally encountered and therefore greatly increases the usefulness and effective life of each of the bearings.

In Figs. 5 and 6, a modified form of the present invention is illustrated wherein an I type beam 45 is provided with a beam hanger comprising a bracket 46 preferably mounted on the beam which in this instance consists of a vertically dispose-d plate 41 having a laterally turned flange 48 at its upper end secured to the upper flanges 49 of the beam, as by fastening devices 50, and which has a boss 5| at its lower end provided with a threaded bore to receive a laterally directed set screw 52. A suitable brace 53 is also employed which is connected to the plate 41 adjacent the lower end thereof and to the lower flanges 54 of the beam by suitable fastening devices 55 and 56 to increase the strength of the bracket.

A crosshead 51 extends laterally from the upper end of the bracket as shown in Fig. 5, and is provided with an inverted V-shaped knife edge bearing 58 at its upper end and arcuately shaped spaced ears 59 at its lower end.

Mounted on the knife edge bearing 58 is a crosshead 6| having a V-shaped bearing 62 mating with and seating on the bearing 58 to permit limited pivotal movement of reins 63 and 64, fixed-as at 65 to the crosshead 58, relative to the beam 45. Adjustable stop members 66 are -mounted on the reins for sliding engagement With the arcuate surfaces of the crosshead cars 59 and to retain the bearings 58 and 62 in interengaged relation.

The lower ends of the reins are connected by a crosshead 61 which is secured thereto, as by fastening devices 68, the crosshead 61 having a knife edge bearing 69 forming its upper face for seating a V-shaped bearing 10 on a crosshead 1| between the reins 63 and 64, and having spaced vertically disposed ways 12 thereon, together with an arcuately shaped lower end 13. The crosshead 1| forms the supporting structure of a rod hanger comprising reins 14 and 15 secured thereto, as by fastening devices 16, the reins being movable in the ways 12 in such a manner that the crosshead. 1| has limited pivotal mounting on the crosshead 61. Adjustable stop members 11 similar to the stop members 66 are also provided on the reins 14 and 15 and are adapted for engagement with the arcuately shaped lower end 13 of the crosshead 61.

As illustrated in Fig. 5, the set screw 52 is engageable with the crosshead 61 and the boss 5| is engageable with the rearwardly directed projections 18 of the crosshead ears 59 to maintain the reins 63 and 64 in outwardly spaced relation to the plate 41 of the beam hanger bracket on the upstroke of the hanger end of the beam 45. The reins and crosshead under ordinary conditions would normally pivot to the left, as in Fig. 5, upon such upward movement of the beam, but due to the set screw the pivotal movement takes place between the crosshead bearings 69 and 19 in such a manner that the reins 14 and 15, which may, for example, have a polish rod or the like affixed-thereto, are lifted in a straight line and thus minimize wear of the rods due to bending.

On the downstroke of the beam, however, the beam hanger is free to pivot to the right, Fig. 5, and motion is permitted between the bearings 58 and 62 at the upper end of the beam hanger. Motion is not imparted to the bearings of the crossheads 61 and 1| under such latter conditions for the reason that the weight of the rods maintains the suspended rod and beam hangers in substantially vertical alignment.

As in the preferred form of invention, therefore, an efficient, convenient, economical and smooth working beam hanger is provided which tends to maintain liftof the rods in a straight line and which requires little attention and no lubrication.

What I claim and-desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a walking beam supported for oscillatory movement through a horizontal position and having a transversely disposed knife edge bearing at one outer upper end thereof and having a bracket spaced from the outer lower end thereof, a beam hanger having a mating bearing engageable with the knife edge bearing for pivotally mounting the beam hanger on the walking beam to swing freely away from the walking beam when the walking beam moves below horizontal position, a knife edge bearing on the lower end of the beam hanger, a rod hanger having a mating bearing enga-geable with the beam hanger knife edge bearing, and a bracket on the beam hanger arranged to engage with the walking beam bracket and retain said rod hanger bearing from contact with said beam bracket incidental to pivotal movement of the beam hanger when the walking beam moves above horizontal position for maintaining movement of the rod hanger in substantially a vertical plane.

2. An apparatus of the character described including a walking beam supported for oscillatory movement through a horizontal position, an inverted V-shaped bearing transversely mounted at one upper outer end of the walking beam, a bracket mounted on the lower portion of the walking beam in spaced relation to the outer end thereof, a beam hanger, a crosshead on the beam hanger having a bearing cooperable with the V-- shaped bearing to pivotally mount the beam hanger on the walking beam to swing away from the end of the walking beam when the walking beam moves below horizontal position, a bracket connected with the beam hanger intermediate the ends thereof and engageable with the bracket on the walking beam when the walking beam moves above horizontal position to prevent swinging of the beam hanger, a crosshead on the beam hanger having an inverted V-shaped bearing, and a rod hanger including a crosshead having a bearing cooperable with the inverted V-shaped bearing of the beam hanger to pivotally interconnect said hangers.

3. An apparatus of the character described including a walking beam supported for oscillatory movement through a horizontal position, an inverted V-shaped bearing transversely mounted on the upper outer end of the walking beam, a bracket mounted on the lower portion of the walking beam in spaced relation to the outer end thereof, a beam hanger, a crosshead on the beam hanger having a bearing cooperable with the V- shaped bearing to pivotally mount the beam hanger on the walking beam to swing away from the end of the walking beam when the walking beam moves below horizontal position, a bracket on the beam hanger engageable with the bracket on the walking beam when the walking beam moves above horizontal position to prevent swinging of the beam hanger, a crosshead on the beam hanger having an inverted V-shaped bearing, a crosshead having a bearing coopera'ble with the inverted V-shaped bearing of the beam hanger, reins on the last-named crosshead, a cross-head mounted at the lower end of the reins, a rod mounted on the last-named crosshead, and stop members for maintaining the crosshead hearings in interengaged relation.

4. In combination with a walking beam supported for oscillatory movement through a horizontal position, a beam hanger, means pivotally suspending the beam hanger on one end of the beam to swing freely away from the beam as the beam moves below horizontal position for maintaining perpendicularity of said beam hanger, a rod hanger, means pivotally suspending the rod hanger from the beam hanger, and stop means located above the rod hanger for preventing pivotal movement of the beam hanger when the beam moves above said horizontal position whereby said pivotal means are adapted to alternately pivot respectively as the beam moves above and below horizontal position and to permit freedom of the rod hanger when the beam moves above horizontal position to maintain perpendicularity of the rod hanger throughout the oscillatory stroke of the beam 5. In combination with a walking beam supported for oscillatory movement througha horizontal position, a beam hanger, means pivotally suspending the beam hanger on one end of the beam to swing freely away from the beam as the beam moves below horizontal position for maintaining perpendicularity of said beam hanger, a rod hanger, means pivotally suspending the rod hanger from the beam hanger, and stop means on the beam engag-eable with a part of said beam hanger at a point above said rod hanger whereby the rod hanger is free for relative movement when the beam moves above said horizontal position and having spaced relation with said part of the beam hanger when the beam moves below said horizontal position whereby said pivotal connections are adapted to alternately pivot respectively as the beam moves above horizontal position and below horizontal position to maintain perpendicularity of the rod hanger throughout the oscillatory stroke of the beam.

ALBERT N. PORTER. 

